Context aware help system

ABSTRACT

A context aware help system generates context data for web sessions. The context data may be used either by a human operator or by an automated response system to help resolve user web session problems. For example, a user may initiate a telephone call to the context aware help during a web session. The context data may be displayed to a telephone operator in response to the telephone call. The telephone operator may use the context data to determine what web pages and user inputs were previously entered during the web session. This allows the telephone operator to quickly analyze web session problems and provide more effective and efficient web session support. The help system may alternatively, or in addition, provide other types of automated audio or data support.

The application is a continuation patent application of U.S. patentapplication Ser. No. 13/716,625, filed Dec. 17, 2012 entitled “ContextAware Help System,” which is herein incorporated by reference in itsentirety.

BACKGROUND

A user may have questions or problems during web sessions. For example,the user may need to navigate through several web pages in order toselect and purchase items on-line. In another example, a user may needto navigate through multiple web pages to configure a service, such asconfiguring a cloud based Public Branch eXchange (PBX).

During the web sessions the user may have questions about whatinformation to enter into particular web page fields. In anothersituation, the user may become confused or lost while navigating throughthe web pages and may not access the correct web pages for properlypurchasing a product or configuring a service.

Websites may provide on-line help manuals. However, navigating throughan on-line help manual may be time consuming, tedious, and just asconfusing as navigating through the websites. Websites may provideinteractive help features. For example, some websites may display popupwindows when a user enters the wrong information into a web page field.The popup window may display a help message or may allow the user tochat on-line with an operator.

While sometimes helpful, interactive on-line help features may not beable to resolve some web session problems and/or may be tediously slowin resolving the web session problems. For example, the user may have totype a question into the pop-up window that describes every web pageselected during the web session and describes every input entered intothe web pages. Some on-line pop-up windows also allow the user to call ahuman operator. However, in order for the human operator to understandand resolve the problem, the user still needs to explain every detailabout the web pages and inputs entered during the web session.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF FIGURES

FIG. 1 depicts an example context aware help system.

FIG. 2 depicts an example of process for generating context basedresponses.

FIG. 3 depicts an example process for generating different types ofcontext based responses.

FIG. 4 depicts an example process for generating context data.

FIG. 5 depicts example processes for providing web session assistance.

FIG. 6 depicts an example system for routing help calls based on contextdata.

FIG. 7 depicts an example process for routing help calls based oncontext data.

FIG. 8 depicts an example context aware help system for handling helprequests for different websites.

FIGS. 9 and 10 depict example web pages that use a context aware helpsystem.

FIG. 11 depicts an example computing device for operating a contextaware help system.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

A context aware help system tracks the context of web sessions. Thecontext may be used either by a human telephone operator or by anautomated help system to help resolve web session problems. For example,a user may select a help link during the web session. The help systemmay automatically send context data for the web session to the telephoneoperator. The telephone operator can then replay the web session andquickly determine which web pages and what user inputs have been enteredby the user. The context data allows the telephone operator to analyzeweb session problems more quickly, possibly before the user even needsto ask a question. Thus, web session support is provided moreeffectively and efficiently.

The context aware help system may alternatively, or in addition, provideautomated audio or data support. For example, analysis of the contextdata may provide a specific solution to a web session problem. A text tospeech system may be used to play a customized audio message back to theuser that explains a solution to the problem. Alternatively, a datamessage may be sent to the user over a network connection that explainsthe solution.

A variety of other support operations may be provided based on the websession context data. One operation may automatically reroute help callsto different telephony servers based on the context data. For example,the context data may indicate the web session is being conducted inRussian. The help system may send an address (e.g., phone number, IPaddress, URL) for a Russian based telephony server to a client deviceused in the web session. The client device then may use the phone numberto call the Russian based telephony server whenever the user selects ahelp link.

In another example, the web session context data may be used forreinstating a prior web session. For example, a user may be conducting aweb session on a mobile phone. The mobile phone may be temporarilydisconnected from an application server. The help system mayautomatically reinstate the prior web session using the context datacaptured prior to the mobile phone disconnection. The help system alsomay analyze the web session context data in real-time prior to the usereven selecting the help link. Help messages can then be sent proactivelyto the user when the context data indicates possible web sessionproblems.

FIG. 1 depicts an example diagram of a context aware help system 100. Aclient device 102 may conduct a web session 116 with a web application132 on application server 130 via a network 122. Client device 102 maybe any computing device configured to conduct a mobile or wired websession, such as a smart phone, personal computer, tablet computer,terminal, personal digital assistant, VoIP phone, or the like, or anycombination thereof.

In one example, network 122 may comprise any combination of Local AreaNetworks (LANs), Wide Area Networks (WANs), Internet Protocol (IP)networks, phone networks, Public Services Telephone Networks (PSTN),wireless networks, cellular networks, Wi-Fi networks, Bluetoothnetworks, cable networks, data buses, or the like, or any combinationthereof used for establishing the web session 116 with client device102.

During web session 116, web session data 118 may be exchanged betweenweb application 132 and client device 102. Web session data 118 maycomprise any data needed for capturing, replaying, and/or identifyingany event in web session 116. For example, web session data 118 maycomprise web pages, such as a web page 106 sent from web application 132and displayed on client device 102. Web session data 118 also maycomprise user input data, such as data input by a user 104 into fields108 of web page 106. For example, user input data may comprise a creditcard number entered by user 104 into one of fields 108 displayed in webpage 106. User input data also may comprise cursor movements, keyboardentries, icon selections, or any other user activity within web page106.

In one example, web application 132 may provide phone services andclient device 102 may be used for setting up different phone serviceconfigurations, such as employee extensions, call forwarding rules,voicemail answering preferences, etc. In this example, web page 106 maycontain a field 108A for entering a time period for forwarding phonecalls and a field 108B for entering a phone number for forwarding thephone calls. Web session data 118 may include the web pages 106 and thephone service configurations entered into web page 106. Of course thisis just one example of any type of web pages 106 and fields 108 that maybe used during web session 116.

A context builder 134 may comprise a server configured to capture andstore web session data 118. For example, during web session 116, user104 may send Hyper Text Transfer Protocol (HTTP) requests to webapplication 132 for different web pages 106. Each web page 106transferred to client device 102 in response to an HTTP request may becaptured and sent to context builder 134. The user input data generatedon client device 102 also may be transmitted to context builder 134. Forexample, the user input data captured in fields 108 of web page 106 maybe sent back to context builder 134.

Web application 132, or a separate monitoring system, may capture andforward web session data 118 to context builder 134. An agent 112 onclient device 102 may capture and send some portions of web session data116 back to context builder 134. Agent 108 may be a client applicationpreinstalled on client device 102. In one example, agent 112 may captureand send web pages 106 and the user input data back to context builder134. In another example, agent 112 may only capture the local user inputdata that is not transmitted over network 122 during web session 116.For example, certain user selections and inputs may only change locallogic states of web page 106 on client device 102 and may never be sentback to web application 132. Agent 112 may capture and send the localuser inputs back to context builder 134.

Monitoring servers, agent 112, and/or context builder 134 may addadditional metadata to web session data 118 that may further identify acontext of web session 116. For example, time stamps may be attached toweb pages 106 to identify when and in what order web pages 106 wereaccessed by user 104 during web session 116. The time stamps also may beattached to user input events to identify the order the user entereddata into fields 108 of web pages 106. The meta data also may include acontext identifier 114 that uniquely associates web session data 118with client device 102.

Other metadata added to web session data 118 may include, but is notlimited to, an Internet Protocol (IP) address for client device 102, aclient browser type and version for a browser operating on client device102, a user name and password used for initiating web session 116; pageidentifiers, Document Object Model (DOM) data and identifiers, etc. Anycombination of web session data 118, context identifier 114, and/orassociated metadata may be referred to as context data 140 and may bestored in database 142.

During web session 116, context builder 122 may generate context data140 as described above. User 104 may have a problem or question duringweb session 116. For example, client device 102 may use web session 116to configure call forwarding rules, voice call greetings, mail box setups, etc. for a telecommunication service. User 104 may get lost whilenavigating through the different web pages 106.

User 104 may select a help link 110 to request help support. Help link110 may be displayed on web page 106 or may be displayed somewherewithin the web browser or web application operating on client device102. Selecting help link 106 may cause agent 112 to establish atelephone connection 124 with a telephony server 144 using a phonenumber or other telephony server 144 address. In one example, thetelephone call may be forwarded to a human telephone operator 126. Inanother example, the telephone call may be answered by an automatedanswering system 146.

Agent 112 also may automatically send context identifier 114 overtelephone connection 124 in response to selection of help link 110. Forexample, agent 112 may generate Dual Tone Multiple Frequency (DTMF)tones or Session Initiation Protocol (SIP) data over connection 124 thatidentify context identifier 114. It should also be understood thattelephone connection 124 may be any type of telephony connection, suchas a Public Services Telephone Network (PSTN) telephone connection,Integrated Services Digital Network (ISDN) telephone connection, or aVoice over Internet Protocol (VoIP) telephone connection.

Telephony server 144 uses context identifier 114 to locate context data140 associated with web session 116. For example, telephony server 144may send a request 138 to context builder 122 that contains contextidentifier 114. Context builder 122 uses context identifier 114 tolocate context data 140 associated with web session 116 and sends aresponse 136 back to telephony server 144 containing the identifiedcontext data 140. Context data 140 may be displayed on a computer screento telephone operator 126 or may be sent directly over network 122 anddisplayed on client device 102.

Context data 140 is collected and generated by context builder 134 upuntil and during the time user 104 establishes telephone connection 124with telephony server 144. Therefore, telephony server 144 and telephoneoperator 126 are provided with the most up to the minute history for websession 116. Telephone operator 126 then can view web pages 106previously opened by user 104 during web session 116 and can view thedata previously entered into the web pages by user 104 during websession 116.

Telephone operator 126 may discover web session problems even beforeuser 104 asks a question. For example, telephone operator 126 maydetermine from context data 140 that the user was attempting toconfigure call forwarding rules but then inadvertently selected a webpage 106 for other phone services. Telephone operator 126 may discussthe web session problem with user 104 orally over telephone connection124. For example, telephone operator 126 may advise user 104 how tonavigate back to the web pages needed for completing the call forwardingrules.

Context data 140 allows telephone operator 126 to more efficiently andeffectively respond to help requests. For example, context data 140relieves user 104 from having to explain orally to telephone operator126 what steps were previously performed and what data was previouslyentered during web session 116. Telephone operator 126 can more quicklydetermine the history of web session 116 by reviewing context data 140and can then provide more helpful responses to user questions. Thus,customer support may be more economical since web session problems maybe resolved more quickly.

Other support operations may be provided based on context data 140. Forexample, automated answering system 146 may use a text to speechapplication to generate custom automated audio messages 120. A database148 may contain different custom audio blocks 150 associated withdifferent states of web session 116. In response to establishingtelephone connection 124, telephony server 144 again may send a request138 to context builder 134 containing context identifier 114. Contextbuilder 134 again may send a response 136 containing context data 140for web session 116. In this example, automated answering system 146uses context data 140 and audio blocks 150 to build custom automatedaudio message 120.

For example, context data 140 may identify a browsing path for user 104during web session 116. The browsing path may indicate the user wasnavigating through web pages 106 associated with creating callforwarding rules. Context data 140 also may identify the data entered orselected by user 104 in web pages 106 for configuring the callforwarding rules.

Telephony server 144 may determine some information needed forcompleting the call forwarding rules is missing or incorrectly enteredinto web pages 106. Automated answering system 146 may use audio blocks150, or may dynamically generate audio blocks, to generate and send acustom automated audio message 120 back to client device 102. Audiomessage 120 may instruct user 104 to select a field in one of web pages106 to complete configuration of the call forwarding rules.

Context aware help system 100 does not just provide audio customersupport over telephone connection 124. In another example, contextbuilder 134 may send data messages 121 back to client device 102 overnetwork 122. Data messages 121 may be initiated by telephone connection124 or may be initiated based on other events detected in context data140. In another example, data messages 121 may be sent back to clientdevice 102 based on a request sent by agent 112 over network 122 thatcontains context identifier 114.

Data messages 121 may contain any of the same information provided inautomated customize audio messages 120 generated by telephony server144. However, instead of being sent as audio signals over telephoneconnection 124, data messages 121 may be text and/or audio messages sentover network 122. Data messages 121 may contain some or all of the samecontext data 140 sent to telephony server 144 and/or telephone operator126 and may provide advice to user 104 for completing tasks in websession 116.

Web application 132, context builder 134, and telephony server 144 donot have to be located in the same application server 130. For example,telephony server 144 may be a separately and/or remotely operated serverthat connects via a network to a separately operated context server thatoperates context builder 134. In another example, client device 102 mayoperate context builder 134 and may locally generate context data 140,automated customized audio messages 120, and/or data messages 121.

FIG. 2 depicts an example process for handling help requests. Inoperation 200, a call is received from a client device. As explainedabove, the call may be received over a telephone connection from acomputing device that is currently conducting a web session with awebsite or previously conducted a web session with the website.

Operation 202 receives a context identifier over the telephoneconnection that may identify the current web session for the clientdevice. If a web session is disconnected or terminated, the contextidentifier may identify the most recent web session for the clientdevice. Operation 204 may identify any other information sent over thetelephone connection. For example, the help link displayed on the clientdevice may include fields that ask the user if they would like to talkto a human website operator, receive a customized automated audiomessage, or receive a text message in a popup window.

The context identifier is sent to the context builder in operation 206and the context data associated with the context identifier is receivedin operation 208. As discussed above, the context data may contain ahistory of navigation, state, and user inputs for the associated websession. The context identifier may be associated with the last websession for the client device. Therefore, the associated context datamay provide the most recent and most relevant web session informationfor the client device help request.

In operation 210, the context data is analyzed. For example, the contextdata may be viewed by a human telephone operator or may be processed byan automated answering system. In operation 212, a response is sent tothe client device based on the context data and any other call inputs.The response may be a manual communication provided by the humantelephone operator over the telephone connection or may be an automatedcustomized audio message sent over the telephone connection by thetelephony server. In yet another example, the response may be textmessage sent to client device 102 over a network connection.

FIG. 3 depicts an example of different types of assistance that may beprovided to a user based on the context data. In operation 220, humanassistance may be requested. For example, the user may select a helplink displayed on the client device. The help link may be configured torequest human operator support. In operation 222, the context data forthe web session is displayed on the screen of the telephone operator.The telephone operator then may discuss the web session problems withthe user over the telephone connection while viewing the context data.

The context data may be pre-processed to help the telephone operatormore quickly determine the web session problem. For example, the contextdata may be displayed in a user interface for a web session replaysystem that automatically steps through each web page and each userinput for the previously captured web session. In another example, thecontext data may be parsed to provide a summary of web session events.For example, a list may identify the sequence of web pages displayed tothe user and the inputs entered by the user into the web pages. The listmay also identify/summarize which tasks were completed in the websession and which tasks have not yet been completed in the web session.

Automated audio assistance may be requested in operation 224. Forexample, the agent application on the client device may be configured torequest automated audio responses or the telephony server may bepreconfigured to provide automated audio responses. In operation 226,the automated answering system may analyze the context data anddetermine if audio files exist, or can be dynamically created, forgenerating an automated audio message.

In operation 228, a customized automated audio response may be generatedbased on the context data and sent over the telephone connection to theclient device. For example, the context data may indicate that the usernever completed a web session task for purchasing a product. Theautomated answering system may generate an audio message that informsthe user how to complete the on-line purchase. In another example, acustomized audio hold message or a customized audio advertisement may beplayed while the automated answering system is generating a response orforwarding the context data to the telephone operator. The hold messageor advertisement may be based on the context data. For example, if thecontext data indicates the user is Russian, a Russian advertisement maybe played over the telephone connection.

On-line data assistance may be requested in operation 230. For example,the agent operating on the client device may be configured to requeston-line text message assistance. Operation 232 may generate an automatedtext response based on the context data. The text response may be sentover an HTTP network connection to the client device. In anotherexample, the human telephone operator may type a text response based onthe context data and/or a text message received from the user and sendthe manually created text response over the network connection.

In yet another example, some of the context data may be sent directly tothe client device. For example, the context data displayed on thecomputer terminal of the telephone operator may also, or alternatively,be sent over the network connection to the client device.

FIG. 4 depicts an example process for building context data for a websession. In operation 240 a context identifier is identified for the websession. The context identifier can be any number, text, or otherinformation that uniquely identifies and associates the web session witha particular client device. The context identifier may be automaticallygenerated by the web application, context builder, or the agentoperating on the client device. The context identifier may include auser name and/or a time indicator. This may allow the help system tolocate the most recent context data for the client device.

Operation 242 captures web pages for the web session. As discussedabove, the web pages may be captured by the web application, a networkmonitor, and/or the agent operating on the client device and forwardedto the context builder. Operation 244 may capture user actions duringthe web session and forward the user actions to the context builder. Forexample, the web application, network monitor, and/or agent may alsocapture inputs entered into fields of the web pages and captureselections of icons or links on the web pages.

Operation 246 may generate timestamps, if needed, for the captured webpages and/or user input data. For example, the web application, networkmonitor, and/or agent may identify when web pages are selected duringthe web session and when user input data is entered into the selectedweb pages. The timestamps are attached to the captured web session dataand may be used for replaying the web session in the same sequence aspreviously executed by the user.

Operation 248 may identify the path taken by the user during the websession. For example, the timestamps can be used to generate a list thatidentifies which web pages were opened by the user and in what order.The list may be used to quickly determine a state of the web sessionjust prior to the user calling the telephony server. Any portion of thecaptured web session data may be saved as context data. In one example,only the web session path and other selected web session analytics maybe saved as context data. In another example, all of the captured websession data is saved as context data so that the entire web session maybe replayed.

Operation 250 receives a request that contains a context identifier. Thecontext data associated with the context identifier is identified andeither sent to the telephony server, to the client device, or to anothersystem for further analysis. The destinations for sending the contextdata may be preconfigured, identified in the help request, based on thecontext identifier, or based on other information within the contextdata.

FIG. 5 depicts one example of how the context data may be analyzed togenerate help responses. In operation 260, the captured web session datamay be parsed. For example, the user may have selected a particular pathof web pages during the web session. In one example, the user may nothave entered required information into a first web page before movingonto a second web page. In one example, the help system may parse thecontext data and in operation 262 may identify the missing or incorrectinformation for the first web page. The phone operator or the automatedresponse system may send a message to the client device notifying theuser of the missing or incorrect data.

Different types of support may be provided for different websites. Asdescribed above, in one example the website may be used for configuringtelephone services. For example, the user may configure a phone greetingduring the web session. In operation 264, the help system may parse thephone greeting. For example, a voice recognition system may search forcertain information in the phone greeting, such as a name of the personbeing called or a verbal reminder to the caller to leave their name anda phone number.

In operation 266, missing information may be identified in the audiophone greeting and a message may be sent back to the client devicenotifying the user of any missing information. The message may sent inreal-time over the web session or may be saved as part of the contextdata and provided in response to the client device establishing atelephone connection with the telephony server.

In another example, operation 268 may parse call forwarding rulesentered during the web session. For example, data may be entered intoweb pages that direct the phone service to forward incoming businessphone calls to a personal phone number during the evening. Operation 270may identify errors in the call forwarding configuration. For example,the user may have unintentionally configured the phone service toforward business calls to a home phone starting at 2:00 am. The helpsystem may send a data or audio message to the client device identifyingthe possible undesirable forwarding rule.

Operation 272 may determine the phone configuration needs to be reset.For example, a client device, such as a mobile phone, may be used in theweb session to configure the phone settings. The phone configurationinformation may be captured during the web session as part of thecontext data. The mobile phone may lose a wireless cellular or Wi-Ficonnection before completing the phone setting configuration and the webapplication may not store the phone settings until the user selects asave icon.

In operation 274, the user may select the help link displayed on theclient device and call the telephony server. The user may direct eitherthe human telephone operator or an automated telephone operator to usethe context data to repopulate the web pages with the previously enteredphone settings. These of course are just examples and any webapplication and associated information that may be parsed and used forresolving web session problems.

FIG. 6 depicts another example of a context aware help system. In thisexample, a routing server 280 may direct telephone connection 124 todifferent telephony servers 144 based on context data 140. Routingserver 280 may effectively operate as a context based address (e.g.,phone number, IP address, URL) generator for connecting with differenttelephony servers 144. It should also be understood that telephonyserver 144 may correspond to one or more telephony servers that providethe same or similar services. For example, a plurality of telephonyservers that provide language-specific sales support may be referred toas telephony server 144.

For example, context data 140 associated with web session 116 mayindicate client device 102 is operating in the United States. Routingserver 280 may send address 282 to agent 112 based on context data 140.For example, address 282 may be associated with a telephony server 144specifically configured to provide support for U.S. web sessions. Agent112 then may use address 282 to establish telephone connection 124 withthe United States based telephony server 144. For example, in responseto user 104 selecting help link 110, telephone connection 124 may beestablished with a telephony server 144 or telephone operator 126 thatspeaks English.

A different web session 116 may indicate the user is located orassociated with Russia. For example, context data 140 may contain a userprofile, web pages, or client device information that indicates user 104is Russian or lives in Russia. Routing server 280 may generate adifferent address 282 that connects to a different telephony server 144or telephone operator 126 in a Russian data center that speaks Russian.

In another example, context data 140 may indicate web session 116 isassociated with either a private individual or a company. For example,user 104 may enter a user name and password during web session 116associated with a business account. Routing server 280 may send address282 to agent 122 associated with a business based telephony server 144.Selection of help link 110 initiates telephone connection 124 to abusiness call center configured to support corporate web sessionquestions.

In yet another example, context data 140 may identify a particularproduct or company associated with web session 116. For example, user104 may be in the process of booking a plane reservation through adiscount travel service website. Routing server 280 may send address 282to agent 112 that connects to a telephony server 144 for the airlineselected in context data 140. Thus, address 282 may dynamically varybased on context data 140 associated with web session 116.

FIG. 7 depicts one example of how the routing server may dynamicallygenerate addresses based on context data. In operation 300, dynamic callrouting may be enabled in the routing server. In operation 302, therouting server may receive the context data for a current web session.The context data may include the context identifier for the web sessionand any additional information needed for sending a context based phonenumber to the client device.

In operation 304, the routing server may identify the telephony serverassociated with the context data. As explained above, any context datamay be used for identifying an associated telephony server, such ascountry information, product or service information, user information,client device information, Global Positioning System (GPS) information,or the like, or any combination thereof.

In operation 306, the address corresponding to the identified telephonyserver is sent to the agent on the client device and used for initiatinga telephone connection. The phone number may be send to the clientdevice in a variety of different ways, including via the networkconnection currently established for the web session, a separate HTTPconnection, or over a telephony or SIP connection.

FIG. 8 depicts another example of a context aware help system. In thisexample, a help system 318 may provide support for multiple differentthird party websites 320A-320N associated with different enterprisesand/or different products and services. For example, website 320A may beoperated by an enterprise that sells clothing and website 320N may beoperated by a financial institution. A web application 321A on website320A may be accessed for shopping and purchasing clothes on-line and aweb application 321N on website 320N may be accessed for managingfinancial accounts and paying bills.

As explained above, one or more monitoring systems may monitor websessions and send captured web session data 118 to a server operatingcontext builder 134. Web session data 118 may include contextidentifiers that uniquely identify web sessions between websites 320 andclient devices 102. Context builder 134 may generate and store contextdata 322 for the different web sessions in associated databases. Forexample, context data 322A for web sessions with website 320A may besaved in a first database and context data 322N for web sessions withwebsite 320N may be saved in a second database.

In addition, context builder 134 may aggregate context data 322 across aplurality of websites 320, web applications 321, and/or web session data118. For example, context builder 134 may determine that the same useror the same category of users has accessed different websites 320 andmay accordingly aggregate context data 322 across web session data 118from the different websites 320. Context builder 134 may correlate useractivity across different websites 320 by comparing personal identifiersfrom web session data 118 or by performing statistical analysis acrossweb session data 118 to determine whether there are any matches. Inanother example, using similar techniques, context builder 134 maydetermine that the same user has interacted with the same website 320Aand/or web application 321A in different web sessions and mayaccordingly aggregate context data 322A across web session data 118Afrom the different web sessions. It should be understood that theprevious example applies where the context aware system supports justone website 320A or a plurality of websites 320.

Telephony server 144 may provide audio and/or data support for usersconducting web sessions with the different websites 320. Differentsupport files 324A-324N may be used for providing different audio and/ordigital messages associated with websites 320A-320N, respectively. Forexample, support files 324 may comprise audio or data blocks, responses,data files, messages, text to speech files, response rules, web sessionanalysis algorithms, or the like, or any combination thereof needed foranalyzing and responding to user help requests.

Client device 102 may establish web session 116N with web application321N. Web session data 118N for web session 116N may be sent to contextbuilder 134. Context builder 134 may generate context data 322N from websession data 118N. During web session 116N, a user may select help link110 on client device 102. Client device 102 may establish a telephoneconnection 124 with telephony server 144 and send a context identifier114 associated with web session 116N.

Telephony server 144 may send a request 138 to context builder 134containing context identifier 114. Context builder 134 may send aresponse 136 back to telephony server 144 that contains context data322N associated with context identifier 114. Telephony server 144 mayidentify or derive an audio and/or data response from support files 324Nbased on context data 322N. The derived response may be sent to clientdevice 102 as an audio message over telephone connection 124 and/or maybe sent to client device 102 as a digital message over a networkconnection 326.

FIG. 9 depicts example web pages that may be displayed during a websession for configuring a phone service. Of course this is just anexample and web pages may be displayed for any other type of websession. Web page 350 may be displayed on the client device and mayinclude a task bar 352. The user may select 354A a settings field intask bar 352 that causes web page 350 to display a drop down menu 356. Apopup window 360 may be displayed in web page 350 in response to theuser then selecting 354B an inbound call field in drop down menu 356. Asecond web page 370 may be displayed on the client device in response tothe user selecting 354C a call screening field 358 in popup window 360.

Web page 370 may display tabs 372 for selecting business hour callscreening or after hours call screening. Sections 374A-374C in web page370 may display different icons 375 for selecting different callscreening settings. For example, the user may select 376A a first icon375A in section 374A for enabling business hour call screening. The usermay select 376B a second icon 375B to request callers to state theirname if caller ID is not provided. Selection 376C of icon 375C andselection 376D of icon 375D may configure personal greetings and on-holdmusic, respectively. Web pages 350 and 370 also may display help links364A and 364B, respectively.

The context builder may receive web session data and generate contextdata that contains any combination of web pages 350 and 370 and userselections 354 and/or 376. At any time during the web session, the usermay select help link 364A or 364B to request either audio or digitalsupport. For example, a telephone connection may automatically beestablished with a telephony server in response to selection of helplink 364A. The telephony server may automatically display web page 350to a telephone operator and then may replay user selections 354A-354C tothe telephone operator. This allows the telephone operator to knowexactly what web pages were opened and what inputs were entered intothose web pages during the web session.

In another example, the user may select help link 364B while web page370 is displayed on the client device. A telephone connection may againbe automatically established with the telephony server. The telephonyserver may first display web page 350 and replay user selections354A-354C to the telephone operator. The telephony server then maydisplay web page 370 and replay user selections 376A-376D to thetelephone operator. This allows the telephone operator to see thesequence of web pages that were opened during the web session and theuser selections on each of the web pages. Any other automated customizedaudio or digital responses may also be generated in response toselection of help links 364A and 364B. For example, the telephony servermay generate an automated voice message explaining how to complete thesettings for the call screening tasks in web pages 350 and 370.

As described above, the context data can also be used to reconfigure aweb session. For example, the user may have entered all of theselections shown in web pages 350 and 370. However, before saving theconfigurations, the client device may have been disconnected from theweb application. The user may select help link 364A or 364B and requestthe telephony server or the telephone operator to recreate the callscreening settings. The context data containing the call settings inFIG. 9 may be sent to the web application for the phone service website.The web application then may repopulate web pages 350 and 370 with theuser selections 354 and 376, respectively, from the previous websession.

In another example, the user may select a help link on a second phone toestablish the telephone connection with the telephony server. The agenton the second phone may send GPS data to the telephony server thatindicates the second phone is in close proximity to the first phone.Alternatively, the help system may be configured to identify the twophones as operated or owned by the same user. The telephony server mayuse the context data associated with the web session with the firstphone to send help information to the second phone. For example, theuser may use the second phone to recreate phone setting 354 and 376previously entered in the web session with the first phone.

FIG. 10 depicts another example web page 380 used for configuring callsettings. Web page 380 displays tabs 372 for configuring business hoursand after hours call screening tasks. User inputs are entered intosections 384A-384D to select different labels, phones numbers, status,and move settings for handling phone calls. A user may enter a timevalue into a field 386 for identifying what time period is associatedwith business hours. A help link 364C may be displayed and selected toaccess the help system described above.

In this example, the user may have entered 9:00 am-2:00 am as the timeperiod associated with business hours. The time period in field 386 mayhave been captured during the web session and sent to the contextbuilder. The context builder may analyze the context data and determinethe time period 9:00 am-2:00 am is unusual for business hours. The helpsystem may send a voice or text message 388 to the client device inresponse to the time period setting querying weather business hoursactually extend until 2:00 am. For example, message 388 may comprise anaudio message sent to the client device over the telephone connection.In another example, message 388 may comprise text displayed in a pop-upwindow.

The help system may identify other bad configurations entered into theweb pages in FIG. 9 or 10. For example, the user may have selectedsettings that forward phone calls from a first phone number to a secondphone number. However, the second phone number may have previously beenconfigured to forward phone calls to the first phone number. The helpsystem may analyze the context data and send a message 388 back to theclient device notifying the user of the circular phone configuration.

In another example, the help system may parse through an audio voicegreeting input by the user during the web session. The context builderor the telephony server may use a voice recognition system to identifydifferent information in the voice greeting, such as audio requestingthe caller to leave a name and return phone number. If certaininformation is missing from the voice greeting, the help system may senda message 388 to the client device notifying the user of the missinginformation in the voice greeting.

In another example, the user may configure company phone extensionsthrough the web pages in FIGS. 9 and 10. The help system may determinefrom the context data that there are only thirty phone extensions.However, the user may have entered four digit extensions. The helpsystem may send a message 388 to the client device indicating two digitphone extensions may be sufficient for the phone extension settings.

In yet another example, the help system may send an advertisementmessage 388 to the client device based on the context data. For example,the context data may indicate the user is shopping on a clothingwebsite. The help system may send an audio or data advertisement message388 with a discount on particular clothing items.

Messages and other context information may be fed back to the clientdevice prior to the user selecting help link 364C. For example, the helpsystem may open a pop-up window and send help message 388 based on apath or sequence of web pages opened during the web session. In anotherexample, message 388 may be sent in response to a delay by the user inmoving through one or more web pages or based on any other web sessionmetric.

FIG. 11 shows a computing device 1000 that may be used for operating thehelp system described above. The computing device 1000 may operate inthe capacity of a server or a client machine in a server-client networkenvironment, or as a peer machine in a peer-to-peer (or distributed)network environment. In other examples, computing device 1000 may be apersonal computer (PC), a tablet, a Personal Digital Assistant (PDA), acellular telephone, a smart phone, a web appliance, or any other machineor device capable of executing instructions 1006 (sequential orotherwise) that specify actions to be taken by that machine.

While only a single computing device 1000 is shown, the computing device1000 may include any collection of devices or circuitry thatindividually or jointly execute a set (or multiple sets) of instructionsto perform any one or more of the operations discussed above. Computingdevice 1000 may be part of an integrated control system or systemmanager, or may be provided as a portable electronic device configuredto interface with a networked system either locally or remotely viawireless transmission.

Processors 1004 may comprise a central processing unit (CPU), a graphicsprocessing unit (GPU), programmable logic devices, dedicated processorsystems, micro controllers, or microprocessors that may perform some orall of the operations described above. Processors 1004 may also include,but may not be limited to, an analog processor, a digital processor, amicroprocessor, multi-core processor, processor array, networkprocessor, etc.

Some of the operations described above may be implemented in softwareand other operations may be implemented in hardware. One or more of theoperations, processes, or methods described herein may be performed byan apparatus, device, or system similar to those as described herein andwith reference to the illustrated figures.

Processors 1004 may execute instructions or “code” 1006 stored in anyone of memories 1008, 1010, or 1020. The memories may store data aswell. Instructions 1006 and data can also be transmitted or receivedover a network 1014 via a network interface device 1012 utilizing anyone of a number of well-known transfer protocols.

Memories 1008, 1010, and 1020 may be integrated together with processingdevice 1000, for example RAM or FLASH memory disposed within anintegrated circuit microprocessor or the like. In other examples, thememory may comprise an independent device, such as an external diskdrive, storage array, or any other storage devices used in databasesystems. The memory and processing devices may be operatively coupledtogether, or in communication with each other, for example by an I/Oport, network connection, etc. such that the processing device may reada file stored on the memory.

Some memory may be “read only” by design (ROM) by virtue of permissionsettings, or not. Other examples of memory may include, but may be notlimited to, WORM, EPROM, EEPROM, FLASH, etc. which may be implemented insolid state semiconductor devices. Other memories may comprise movingparts, such a conventional rotating disk drive. All such memories may be“machine-readable” in that they may be readable by a processing device.

“Computer-readable storage medium” (or alternatively, “machine-readablestorage medium”) may include all of the foregoing types of memory, aswell as new technologies that may arise in the future, as long as theymay be capable of storing digital information in the nature of acomputer program or other data, at least temporarily, in such a mannerthat the stored information may be “read” by an appropriate processingdevice. The term “computer-readable” may not be limited to thehistorical usage of “computer” to imply a complete mainframe,mini-computer, desktop, wireless device, or even a laptop computer.Rather, “computer-readable” may comprise storage medium that may bereadable by a processor, processing device, or any computing system.Such media may be any available media that may be locally and/orremotely accessible by a computer or processor, and may include volatileand non-volatile media, and removable and non-removable media.

Computing device 1000 can further include a video display 1016, such asa liquid crystal display (LCD) or a cathode ray tube (CRT)) and a userinterface 1018, such as a keyboard, mouse, touch screen, etc. All of thecomponents of computing device 1000 may be connected together via a bus1002 and/or network.

For the sake of convenience, operations may be described as variousinterconnected or coupled functional blocks or diagrams. However, theremay be cases where these functional blocks or diagrams may beequivalently aggregated into a single logic device, program or operationwith unclear boundaries.

Having described and illustrated the principles of a preferredembodiment, it should be apparent that the embodiments may be modifiedin arrangement and detail without departing from such principles. Claimis made to all modifications and variation coming within the spirit andscope of the following claims.

The invention claimed is:
 1. A method, comprising: receiving, by aprocessing device, a telephone call from a computing device;establishing, by the processing device, a telephone connection with thecomputing device; receiving, by the processing device, context dataassociated with a web session for the computing device, wherein: thecontext data identifies one or both of data entered into web pagesduring the web session and a path of the web pages accessed during theweb session; timestamps are associated with the web pages accessedduring the web session; timestamps are associated with the data enteredinto the web pages during the web session; the timestamps identify anordered sequence of the web pages accessed during the web session andthe data entered into the web pages; and the context data associatedwith the web session is based on the ordered sequence of the web pagesaccessed during the web session and the data entered into the web pages;and generating, by the processing device, a response to the telephonecall based on the context data associated with the web session.
 2. Themethod of claim 1, further comprising: generating, by the processingdevice, an automated audio message based on the context data; andsending the automated audio message to the computing device over thetelephone connection.
 3. The method of claim 1, further comprising:receiving a context identifier from the computing device over thetelephone connection, wherein the context identifier identifies the websession for the computing device; and using the context identifier toidentify the context data associated with the web session.
 4. The methodof claim 1, wherein the processing device comprises one or both of anapplication server and a telephony server.
 5. The method of claim 1,further comprising: identifying advertisements based on the contextdata; and sending the advertisements to the computing device.
 6. Amethod, comprising: receiving, by a processing device, context dataassociated with a web session for a computing device, wherein thecontext data identifies one or both of data entered into web pagesduring the web session and a path of the web pages accessed during theweb session; identifying an address for a telephony server based on thecontext data; sending the address to the computing device forestablishing a telephone connection with the computing device;receiving, by the processing device, a telephone call from the computingdevice; establishing, by the processing device, the telephone connectionwith the computing device; and generating, by the processing device, aresponse to the telephone call based on the context data associated withthe web session.
 7. The method of claim 6, further comprising:connecting the telephone call to a telephone operator computer; andsending the context data for display on the telephone operator computer.8. The method of claim 6, further comprising responding to the telephonecall by sending one or both of a data message and an audio message tothe computing device based on the context data.
 9. An apparatus,comprising: logic circuitry configured to: identify a web sessionassociated with a client device; and identify one or both of a sequenceof web pages opened during the web session and user inputs entered intothe web pages; and wherein the logic circuitry comprises a contextserver configured to: generate context data based at least on thesequence of the web pages opened during the web session or the userinputs entered into the web pages during the web session received fromthe client device; identify an address for a telephony server based onthe context data; forward the address to the client device forestablishing a telephone connection with the telephony server; receive acontext identifier associated with the web session from the telephonyserver configured to receive a telephone call from the client device inresponse to the client device establishing the telephone connection withthe telephony server; identify the context data associated with thecontext identifier; and send the context data to the telephony server inresponse to receiving the context identifier.
 10. The apparatus of claim9, wherein the context server comprises a web server providing the webpages to the client device.
 11. The apparatus of claim 9, wherein thecontext server is further configured to: generate an automated audiomessage based on the context data; and send the automated audio messageto the telephony server for relaying over the telephone connection withthe client device.
 12. The apparatus of claim 9, wherein the contextserver is further configured to generate the context data based on apath of the web pages accessed by the client device during the websession.
 13. The apparatus of claim 9, wherein the logic circuitry isfurther configured to send data messages to the client device over anetwork connection based on the context data.
 14. The apparatus of claim13, wherein the logic circuitry is further configured to send the datamessages in response to a help request received from the client device.15. An apparatus, comprising: a client device configured to: identify aweb session associated with the client device; identify a contextidentifier associated with the web session; identify context dataassociated with the web session; send the context data to a contextserver; receive an address from the context server based on the contextdata for establishing a telephone connection with a telephony server;establish the telephone connection with the telephony server based onthe address; send the context identifier over the telephone connectionto the telephony server; and receive a response associated with thecontext identifier over the telephone connection, wherein receipt of theresponse is based on the context data.
 16. The apparatus of claim 15,wherein the response comprises an automated audio message received fromthe telephony server over the telephone connection based on the contextdata.
 17. An apparatus, comprising: a client device configured to:identify a web session associated with the client device; identify acontext identifier associated with the web session; identify contextdata associated with the web session; receive a message from a contextserver requesting the context data; provide the context data to thecontext server in response to the message; receive a phone number fromthe context server for establishing a telephone connection with atelephony server based on the context data; establish the telephoneconnection with the telephony server; send the context identifier overthe telephone connection to the telephony server; and receive a responseassociated with the context identifier over the telephone connection,wherein receipt of the response is based on the context data.
 18. Theapparatus of claim 17, wherein the context data is based on paths of webpages accessed by the client device during the web session.